Gas turbine engines are used to power aircraft, watercraft, power generators, and the like. Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses air drawn into the engine and delivers high pressure air to the combustor. In the combustor, fuel is mixed with the high pressure air and is ignited. Products of the combustion reaction in the combustor are directed into the turbine where work is extracted to drive the compressor and, sometimes, a fan assembly. Left-over products of the combustion are exhausted out of the turbine and may provide thrust in some applications.
Compressors and turbines typically include alternating stages of static vane rings and rotating wheel assemblies. The static vane rings may be exposed to high temperatures from products of the combustion reaction in the combustor. Such vane rings sometimes include components made from materials that have different coefficients of thermal expansion. Due to the differing coefficients of thermal expansion, the components of some vane rings expand at different rates when exposed to combustion products. For example, coupling such components with traditional methods may not allow for the differing levels of expansion and contraction during operation of the gas turbine engine.